holding on to greet the dawn
by katamari-jedi
Summary: Serah paused, fingers hovering over the pack as she slowly released the breath she hadn't realise she'd been holding, turning around to meet her sister's steady gaze. "I'm going after the Harusame pirates to save Snow. And after that, I'll go the Council to plead our case and get help to free Nova Chrysalis from the Federation." Space Opera AU.


Written for **_Digi_**'s prompt "Serah/Snow, Space" for the three-sentence fic meme on Tumblr... did I say three-sentence fic? more like FIVE HUNDRED PLUS PLUS WORDS (I am awful at math, so sue me). This somehow ended up more as a slightly cheesy/angsty Serah-centric, sibling and friendship fic, and not as much Serah/Snow as I'd liked, but I REALLY DID TRY I'M SO SORRY. Also also, I hope you like melodramatic space opera AUs.

[_My Hands_ plays dramatically in background]

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**holding on to greet the dawn**

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~.*.~

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She heard Mog's soft mewl, and the clack of boots against the concrete, knew it was Lightning even before the soldier came to a halt a few steps behind her.

"I know what you're going to say," she said, her eyes still trained before her. The Moogle mewled again – _kupo?–_ before scrambling up her arm and settling himself on her shoulder, watching as she continued to rummage through a utility pack, stuffing supplies and rations into the many side-pockets.

"But it's not going to change anything because I've already made up my mind." Serah paused, fingers hovering over the pack as she slowly released the breath she hadn't realise she'd been holding. She glanced over her shoulder, turning around to meet her sister's steady gaze.

"I'm going after the Harusame pirates to save Snow. And after that, I'll go the Council to plead our case and get help to free Nova Chrysalis from the Federation."

Lightning said nothing, the frown still etched upon her brow, her expression a stoic paper mask. Anyone else would have balked under the icy glare that Etro's Champion was so feared for, but Serah had known her since the very beginning – when they were but children playing in the grassy fields together on a midsummer's day and watching meteor showers raining over Cocoon Palace and Bodhum's skies.

She had known her before the Federation enforced the trade blockade over their home world, before civil unrest began; before the Uprising and the forest fires on Pulse; before their parents' death– _before, before, before…_

Before Lightning became Etro's Champion and was just simply _Claire_.

They continued to hold each other's gazes, unspeaking.

_Sis, please understand. I have to do this. _

Lightning sighed, dropping her gaze. When she lifted her head once more, Serah saw the corners of her lips curved into the tiniest of smiles and–

_I… understand. _

–and Serah was moving to meet Lightning with a tight embrace, a grateful laugh.

"Thank you," she said, pulling away to rub at her eyes, brushing off stray tears before they could fall. "I… don't know how long I'll take, but I'll come back once I find him. _We'll_ come back and–"

"What are you talking about?" Lightning cut in abruptly, reaching for another utility pack and systematically packing more supplies and survival kits. "There's no way you can pilot a starship alone through the blockade; they'd blow you out of the exosphere within seconds." Once she was done packing, Lightning slung the pack over her shoulders and moved towards the Shiva's boarding ramp. "That's why I'm going with you."

"But, sis–" Serah protested, running after her. "What about the Queen and her Court? With the blockade, Nova Chrysalis is cut off entirely from the Council! You're Etro's Champion, the Guardian. Who will protect her if you leave?"

"Etro's Champion is not even my official title," Lightning huffed. "It's just another fancy name given by the people. Besides, Etro does not only have one Guardian; she has Amodar, Rosch, Rygdea… and the rest of the Guardian Knights at her command if she so wished."

Serah was still jogging to catch up when Lightning paused in her steps, glancing back over her shoulder to fix her with that rare half-smile again, stretching her hand out towards her.

"Plus, I only have one sister," she said, her voice low. "I almost lost you once – I'm not leaving you to shoulder everything alone again."

"Sis…," Serah could only return the smile, reaching forward to take Lightning's hand in hers.

"Hey, wait up you two!"

"Vanille!" Serah turned at the sound of footsteps and saw the young Pulsian woman running towards them, followed closely by another smaller figure, a boy–

"Hope?" Lightning's eyes widened in surprise, as the boy finally reached her, panting and doubled over, one hand clutching at a stich in his side.

"I want to help, Light." Hope said, once he'd finally caught his breath. "Just like you said before; 'keep your eyes front, I'll watch the rear.' And well, _that_ guy did keep me safe from those pirates. So I guess I kind of owe him one as well."

Lightning let out a soft laugh, stretching out her arm to tap Hope's forehead lightly with a fist. "I guess you do."

Beside them, Vanille reached for Serah's hands, bringing them close to her chest. "I'm coming with you as well. It'll be dangerous, I know…," She paused, her voice faltering, uncertain. Serah felt Vanille's fingers squeezing her own tightly, as if searching for comfort and strength. "But Fang has always been the one to look out for me, and now that she's in trouble, I'm going to do the same for her. I'm going to rescue her and bring her home safe. Just like how you'll do the same with Snow."

Serah nodded, feeling her eyes prickle with tears, the sudden burst of emotion threatening to overwhelm her composure once more. She smiled at her sister and her friends, before turning around to make her way up the boarding ramp. Still perched upon her shoulder, Mog flicked his ears and tail, mewling excitedly – _kupopo!_

_We can do this_, she thought, her eyes bright with determination, her chin held high. _We'll definitely bring you both home. So please – wait for me, Snow._

.

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**_–end–_**

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_**:::**_

**Notes**

\- basically, very much inspired by Star Wars Episode I (though this isn't a SW universe - no Jedi or Sith!)

\- Nova Chrysalis is a small planet that consists of two main races - the people of Cocoon and Pulsians, and is currently under a trade blockade and threat of invasion by the Federation due to Nova Chrysalis' refusal to pay overpriced taxes.

\- Serah and Lightning are two children who adopted into Etro's Court by the Queen after their parents' deaths. Lightning joined the ranks of the Guardian Knights and Serah joined the Apprentice Legislature.

\- the Harusame are a band of space pirates, who had earlier kidnapped Serah upon orders from the Federation, to pressure the Court to submitting to their taxation laws. tl;dr, smugglers/mercenaries Snow (who had been seeing Serah for a while) and Fang (with her girlfriend Vanille) help Lightning to rescue her sister, only to be chased and outnumbered. Snow agrees to exchange his life for Serah's safe return, as there was a hefty price put out for his head by the boss of the largest crime syndicate.

\- annnd Hope is.. um, just a kid who was caught in the crossfire - wrong place at the wrong time, you know? - and was picked up by Lightning as she was trying to save Serah from the pirates. idk, I just wanted to sneak my brotp into the fic.


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